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Windows 7

Display Link or Menu to Downloads on Start Menu

SUMMARY: Easily access website downloads from the Windows 7 Start Menu.

By default, when you download applications and most other files on a Windows 7 machine using Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer, these files are placed in your "Downloads" directory. This is located at c:\users\YOUR_USER_NAME\Downloads.

If desired, you can make downloads easier to access by placing a link to this folder directly from your Start Menu. Or, allow the Start Menu to open up to a menu showing each download, allowing you to access or delete them as desired.

Showing Internet Downloads from the Windows 7 Start Menu

1. Right-click an empty area of the taskbar and choose "Properties".

2. The "Taskbar and Start Menu Properties" multi-tabbed dialog box appears. Click the "Start Menu" tab.

3. Click the "Customize" button.

4. The "Customize Start Menu" dialog box appears. Underneath "Downloads" click the "Display as a link" or "Display as a menu" radio button.

5. Click "OK" on the dialog boxes to close them.

This tip was written for Windows 7 RC. Screenshots and information are subject to change between this and the final version of Windows 7.